Filarial nematodes taking a fancy to Austria

A preliminary study by Vetmeduni Vienna has identified indigenous mosquitoes as carriers of Dirofilaria repens, suggesting for the first time that the parasite has become endemic in Eastern Austria. Dirofilaria immitis, the heartworm, also appears to be on the verge of becoming autochthonous. The slow pace at which the parasites are establishing themselves is probably due in part to the keeping conditions of dogs in Austria. The review was published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
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